draw hand---critique?

[edthayer]

Hero holds K /images/graemlins/club.gif 5 /images/graemlins/club.gif in the BB. 6 callers, including SB.

Pot: 6.5 SB

Flop:
9 /images/graemlins/club.gif 5 /images/graemlins/diamond.gif 4 /images/graemlins/club.gif

SB bets. I just call, hoping to get many callers behind me, and hopefully a raise. Everyone calls; no raise... not bad.

Pot: 7 BB
Turn:
9 /images/graemlins/spade.gif

Not a great turn card-- in fact, a pretty terrible one. SB bets again, once again I just call, this time with no intention of reraising if raised. I think my pot equity went down pretty far with the turn. Only one more caller behind me.

Pot: 10 BB

River: 5 /images/graemlins/heart.gif

Made a full house; not what I expected, but it will do. SB bets again. I think he might have a nine, so I call, hoping the guy behind me might overcall.

Any comments or criticisms on my play or thinking?

[Cerril]

Ugly, I hate these. You want to get away with all your might but you just can't. You beat an overpair, overcards, or a pure draw. I think a call is the only option but if it gets raised behind you you can save the final bet. I'd feel sorry for the guy sitting on 44

[bisonbison]

this looks fine. If the game is pretty loose, raise the flop for value.

[Brian]

Hi Ed,

You should raise the Flop the first time around. You have a monster draw and some people will certainly call 2 cold. Even if everyone folds, which would be "worst case scenario", you've now gotten the pot heads-up and given your pair of 5's a better shot of holding up unimproved. Remember, SB doesn't have to have a 9 to be betting here. He could have a Flush draw as well, or a straight draw with 76, or a 5 with a worse kicker, etc.

The Turn and River are good.

-Brian

[edthayer]

Thanks for the feedback. I guess my biggest dilemma was the flop: call or raise. If you guys have mixed feelings about it, then it is probably so close that it won't really make a long term difference /images/graemlins/grin.gif.

The results:
The last guy called. SB shows 8 /images/graemlins/heart.gif4 /images/graemlins/heart.gif
Hero shows his full house.
Other guy mucks his hand.

[Brian]

Hi ed,

I don't think the Flop raise is close at all. As you can see, SB is betting a hand worse than yours. If everyone else folds, great. If everyone else calls, great also. You basically can't go wrong with the Flop raise.

-Brian

[bisonbison]

Yeah, I think I made a mistake by recommending a call. Raise.

[helpmeout]

Calling the flop is fine. Overcards generally dont cold call 2 bets, sometimes bottom pairs dont either.

Sure SB might not have a 9 and your 5 could be good but why raise and scare people out when someone in later position may just have a 9 and raise then you can 3 bet and trap people.

If you have a couple of callers inbetween then sure raise but I think a call is best in this situation.

You should probably bet the river as well, if you are raised then just call.

[DeathDonkey]

This flop is a decent one to raise even if those clubs were spades and we just had our middle pair King kicker. SB can have anything here and its a ratty board, the raise is to maximize the chance of winning with our pair, the flush draw is a nice bonus and the reason we dont really care if 9's are out there or not.

-DeathDonkey